Country Ireland Selected entrant Ryan Dolan | Selection date(s) 22 February 2013 Selected song "Only Love Survives" | |
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Selection process Eurosong 2013
50% jury
50% televoting Semi-final result Qualified (8th, 54 points) | ||
Ireland participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden. The Irish entry was selected through the national selection Eurosong 2013, organised by Irish national broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). Ryan Dolan represented Ireland with the song "Only Love Survives", which qualified from the first semi-final of the competition and finished in 26th (last) place in the final, only managing to achieve 5 points in total.
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Eurosong 2013
In May 2012, broadcaster RTÉ confirmed that Ireland would participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 held in Malmö, Sweden. In October, RTÉ confirmed that Ireland's song and performer would again be chosen by the Eurosong mentor process, first used in 2011.
In November, RTÉ announced the five mentors who would work with contestants in Eurosong 2013: Today FM presenter Mairead Farrell, songwriter Shay Healy, radio presenter Mark McCabe, songwriter Niall Mooney and producer Stuart O’Connor. Three of the judges had previous experience with Eurovision: Shay Healy composed "What's Another Year?", the winning song for Ireland in Eurovision 1980 and contributed lyrics to Latvia's 2012 entry "Beautiful Song"; Niall Mooney co-wrote Irish Eurovision entries "Et Cetera" for Eurovision 2009 and "It's For You" for 2010; and Stuart O'Connor choreographed and produced the Eurovision performances for Jedward in 2011 and 2012.
The mentors were each tasked with selecting a song and an act to perform it, with the five entries announced by RTÉ on 6 February 2013. The five songs were debuted on the RTÉ Radio 1 programme Mooney on 7 February.
The winning song was decided on The Late Late Show Eurosong 2013 on 22 February. The five songs were performed live, with the winner determined by a combination of public televote and regional jury vote. Two former Irish Eurovision representatives also made appearances: 1994 winner Paul Harrington accompanied Aimee Fitzpatrick on piano, and 2005 representative Donna McCaul provided backing vocals for Zoe Alexis Bohorquez. Finnish band Lordi, winners of Eurovision 2006, also made a special appearance on the show, performing their winning song "Hard Rock Hallelujah".
At Eurovision
Ireland was allocated to compete in the first semi-final on 14 May for a place in the final on 18 May. In the first semifinal, the producers of the show decided that Ireland would perform 13th, following Moldova and preceding Cyprus. The Irish performance featured Dolan supported by two backing vocalists: Leanne Moore and Alison Vard Miller, two backup dancers who also played bodhrán drums: Alan McGrath and Colm Farrell, and a main drummer who used three larger mounted drums: Nick Bailey.
Ireland qualified from the first semi-final, placing 8th and scoring 54 points. At the first semi-final winners' press conference, Ireland was allocated to perform in the second half of the final. In the final, the producers of the show decided that Ireland would perform last, following Georgia. Ireland placed last (26th) in the final, scoring 5 points. It was the second time after 2007 that the country finished last in the contest.